Control apparatus for an internal combustion engine
AssigneeMitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorSatosi Komurasaki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine has a vibration sensor which senses engine vibrations and a low-pass filter which passes a low-frequency component of the output of the vibration sensor. A comparator detects misfiring when the level of the low-frequency component exceeds a prescribed reference level. When misfiring is detected, a microcomputer identifies the misfiring cylinder and stops the supply of fuel to the misfiring cylinder. The control apparatus may also include a knocking suppression device responsive to a component of the output signal of the vibration sensor.
Claims15
A control apparatus for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising:
- vibration sensing means for generating an output signal having a level corresponding to the amplitude of low-frequency engine vibrations due to misfiring;
- comparator means for detecting misfiring by comparing the level of the output signal of the vibration sensing means with a reference level indicating the occurrence of misfiring;
- and
- fuel supply control means responsive to the comparator means for identifying which cylinder of the engine is misfiring when the comparator means detects misfiring and stopping the supply of fuel to the misfiring cylinder.
A method for sensing misfiring of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising:
- measuring the level of engine vibrations in a prescribed frequency range;
- comparing the level of engine vibrations in said prescribed frequency range with a prescribed reference level;
- determining the misfiring is occurring when the level of engine vibrations is said prescribed frequency range exceeds the prescribed reference level;
- and
- electronically identifying which cylinder of the engine is misfiring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.